The Boy in the Background
by thed4rksavior
Summary: Very short but very frequent uploads. Percy has always been in Annabeth's life. But he's only in the background. Showing up here and there for a minute or two. Nothing significant really. She doesn't even really notice him. Until she does.
1. First Day of Kindergarten

It's five year old Annabeth Chase's first day of kindergarten and she's not having a good day. She isn't even at school yet. When her dad woke her up this morning her mom was already at work, she'd spilled cereal milk on herself and had to change, then on the walk to the bus stop Annabeth stepped in a puddle and her socks had gotten wet. She almost missed the bus and when she finally made it she had to sit next to a stranger because her two best friends, Thalia and Luke, had already filled up a seat together.

The boy next to her turns around and gives her a wide smile. " Hi my name is Percy! And mommy says I'm her little De-ling-kwent," he pronounces it slowly and proudly like he had practiced this word a lot. "Delinquent!" He added for good measure.

"Whatever," little Annabeth says and goes back to staring angrily out the window. Percy frowns for only a second before returning to playing fighter jets with his two paper airplanes.


	2. At the Fair

Annabeth's seven. she's crying because she'd lost marnie her stuffed teddy bear- well actually it's an owl- that her mother had won her. they had been searching for over half an hour and her parents are just told her that it was getting late and that they couldn't keep looking. A boy with wild looking black hair raced up to her looking out of breath. " you dropped this," he tells Annabeth simply. Annabeth stops crying and slowly takes the owl from the boy.

"Thank you," Annabeth tells him. He looks up at her and smiles then walks away. It tickles something in her memory. The only thing Annabeth really registers though are his sea green eyes.

"Percy don't you ever run away like that again!" A woman, probably his mother Annabeth decides, yells at the boy. Annabeth catches up to her parents and shows them the owl excitedly. She looks over her shoulder to wave at the boy but he's already gone. A couple weeks later a dark haired boy she half remembers waves at her in Walmart.


	3. The Small Moments

Annabeth's eight and a boy passes her walking his huge black dog. She smiles at him and goes back to reading her book.

A couple months later that same green eyed boy almost runs her over in the park with a blue bike.

She's ten and she spends a day at the waterpark with a boy who has crazy black hair, sea green eyes and a playful smile.

She's twelve and she dials the wrong number on her new phone and talks to someone named Percy for a long while until her mom tells her not to talk to strangers. That encounter goes in her diary. He seemed so nice and had listened to her problems, which now that she thinks about it was probably a little much to tell a complete stranger, and told incredibly funny jokes that made her smile despite the fact that she had been meaning to call Thalia to tell her that she hated Luke.

Way off somewhere the three Fates looked at each other (well turned their head towards each other. Only one of them could really look since only one of them had an eye) and smiled. Maybe this was it. The moment when the two would finally connect instead of just barely noticing the other was there. The Fates watched in confusion days later as the Chase household burned down, and with it Annabeth's diary, she had nothing to remember him by. It was almost like someone was stopping Percy and Annabeth from meeting. The sisters instantly thought of Shai (Egyptian god of Fate) and decided to pay him a visit.


	4. Bullies

She's fourteen now. A bigger girl named Clarisse has her cornered in an alley. Clarisse had seen her leaving the store and then chased her favorite victim, Annabeth, here. "Your mommy didn't leave so she could get a better job! Can't believe you really believe that! She probably just left to get away from her ugly, know-it-all, freak of a daughter!" Clarisse snarls at Annabeth. The words hurt because they are words she has thought to herself thousands of times. That's the terrible magic of bullies, they always seem to know exactly what to say to hurt you. Annabeth flinches visibly making Clarisse smile in satisfaction.

"Hey Clarisse what's up" Annabeth hears. Her attention is drawn away from her tormentor and to the tall black haired boy walking casually down the alley towards the two of them. Annabeth shrinks back against the brick wall of the dead end alley. " _Great,"_ she thinks, " _another friend of Clarisse come to help her beat me up. Just what I needed!"_ The boy obviously knew Clarisse and anyone who knew Clarisse but wasn't her friend would be doing the sensible thing and running. But to Annabeth's surprise Clarisse whipps around and steps backwards nervously almost like SHE is scared of HIM!

"Go away Jackson! This isn't any of your business," She yells at the newcomer.

The boy, Jackson walks right past Clarisse and to Annabeth. "Is she bothering you?" he asks her.

Annabeth is not sure how to answer and is, quite frankly, speechless. His smile and the kind look in his eyes morphs into something more wild and dangerous. "I'll take that as a yes," He says and turns around to face Clarisse. "You going to leave her alone or do I have to make you?"

It's clear to Annabeth that Clarisse wants to just leave but she refuses to look weak in front of her audience. "Come on then Jackson! You just got lucky last time."

"The last three times you mean," Jackson says and Clarisse leaps at him. Her feet barely leave the ground before his fist slams into her face rocketing her right to the ground. Her nose is clearly broken. Jackson bends down and taps her cheek mockingly, "Hey maybe next time." Clarisse doesn't even bother to get up as Jackson escorts Annabeth out of the alley. He says something about being late and rushes off before she even has a chance to thank him.


	5. The Restaurant

It's only a few weeks later. The incident with Clarisse and Jackson has encouraged her to join a self-defense class. She likes handling her own problems and now she knows how. She's promised herself that the next time Clarisse bothers her it will be her, Annabeth Chase, giving Clarisse a bloody nose. She can't depend on the bravery and kindness of complete strangers to save her every time.

Annabeth is on her way home from her fifth self-defense class when she sees a familiar figure through the window of a restaurant. It's Jackson. She smiles. Now she finally has the opportunity to thank him for helping her out that day. So she walks in to thank him after checking to see that he's alone. She doesn't register the fact that although Percy is the only one there there are two full plates sitting in front of him. She's making her way to his table when a redhead slides into the seat in front of him. She, the redhead, says something and Jackson laughs loudly. He gets up, moves over to the other girl's side and slides his arm around her shoulders. They must be a couple

She feels uncomfortable now and, for reasons she can't explain, a little disappointed. It's not like she really knows him is it. Why shouldn't he have a girlfriend? She leaves the restaurant and hopes that maybe she'll bump into him when he's truly alone some other time. She doesn't want to talk about being bullied in front of other people, Annabeth tells herself until she's convinced that's the only reason she didn't go up and thank him.


	6. Rumors

Sheś been hearing so much about the new kid since he came to this school near the beginning of the school year. Heś fallen in with the stoll brothers and their pranks have slowly gotten more and more dramatic since he showed up. She hasn seen him yet but she knows a lot about him. His nameś Percy Jackson. Heś in her grade. Heś supposedly really good looking. Tall and tan with messy black hair and dreamy sea green eyes. Heś gotten into a few fights but heś always fighting to stop a bully so the teachers don ́t mind. Heś the talk of the school. Or at least thatś what her friend Rachel keeps telling her all the time. About the amazing boy whoś fun and handsome and doesn even know her name. Itś a bit of an obsession, it seems to Annabeth. She wonders though. If Percy only fights to stop bullies, then why does look keep telling her about all the fights the new kid keeps trying to start with him? Obviously the new kid can ́t be as perfect as Rachel makes him out to be


	7. Principal's Office

She´s headed over to her usual lunch with the principal. When she walks into the office though the door is closed. The principal always tryś to make sure his office is clear by her lunch period so that she can eat with him. She wonders who could have caused so much trouble that the principal would have to meet with him right away. The door flies open and the principal pops his head out. "Oh, Annabeth! Right on time! I wanted you to meet Percy over here. I think he could use a little bit of your good influence," He calls out.

She walks through the door and sucks in a shocked breath. It's Jackson. She had just assumed that had been his first name when Clarisse said it. She hadn't even realized the kid she'd been hearing all about was the same boy that saved her from a rather unpleasant encounter with Clarisse. He was the one Luke hated so much? And was always getting into fights with? She couldn't understand why. Luke was such a nice guy! They'd been friends for years. So what would Percy have against him… or what did Luke have against Percy. She smiled nervously and walked in, taking the seat next to Percy.

"This is the amazing student I was telling you about. Maybe if you spend a little more time with someone like her and a little less with people like the Stoll brothers you will find your transition into this school a little…. smoother." The principal says with a smile. He clearly likes Percy a lot more than he does most of his students. Besides her of course.

"Annabeth is it?' Percy asks leaning back and giving her a wide smile. "Didn't quite catch it the last time around," he says.

"Yeah. I guess we were both a little to busy for introductions," She says back to him. She's not sure what else to say.

"Oh!" Chiron exclaims excitedly. "You two know each other already? That's fantastic!"

"Yeah he… helped me out over the summer with… you know… the Clarisse problem,' She says quietly. Chiron knows all of her issues but she's still just a little uncomfortable sharing how she had to be saved by a complete stranger with a problem she should be a little more used to by now.

Chiron smiles at the two of them. His favorite student and the new student and nods his head understandingly. "Well then I guess it won't be to terrible when I tell you I'm syncing his schedule with yours. That way he won't be spending as much time with the Stolls." Oh. so that's what this was about. She sneaks a glance at him. No. She's sure she won't mind. Too much.

Percy catches her looking and flashes a wink. "Well I guess it could be worse,'


	8. To the Cafeteria

Chiron kicks the both of them out of his office. He want's Percy to meet some of Annabeth's other friends apparently. So she walks out of the office with Percy at her heels. "So? How's it going?" He asks awkwardly on the way down to the cafeteria.

She turns and looks at him out of the corner of her eye. He certainly looks as good as Rachel made him out to be. But was he as good? "Fine,' she says shortly. "Why do you ask?"

He glances over at her like she asked something stupid like 'why do you breath' or something. "Just because… is that a problem?"

She glances at him again and shakes her head no. They continue the rest of the way to the Cafeteria in silence. Then they bump into the reason she prefers the principals office to the cafeteria, well the one this year. Normally it was a tossup between who was worse. But after what Percy did to Clarissa she hadn't been much of a problem. Drew, on the other hand, was just as bad as always.

"Oh hey Annie dear!" She called over to her cheerfully but the twist of her lips was a poor imitation of a smile and as usual there was something mocking in the way Drew looked at her. She opened her mouth like she was going to say more but then Percy made it through the door and the caf went silent. But only for a second. Then everyone was calling to him, he ignored them all. "Hey Percy! Didn't know you had this period lunch," Drew waved to him and patted the seat next to her.

"Uh… yeah. Just got switched,' Percy walked slowly behind Annabeth and looked around the lunch room. Probably looking for anyone he had already become friends with. He let out a puff of air and followed Annabeth to the lunch line. Apparently he hadn't found anyone.

Drew was waiting for them at the end of the lunch line. "Hey? You gonna come sit with us?" She asked Percy again, not even acknowledging that Annabeth was still there. Percy looked over at Annabeth and Drew followed his gaze slowly. "Oh don't worry about her she has her own… friends, to sit with,' She said.

Annabeth saw where this was heading. Drew was going to embaress her and Percy was going to go sit with the 'cool kids' because that's the crowd he was a part of. She started heading over to her table before it could get that far. "Hey! Wait up I'm coming,' Percy called after her and Drew frowned at her again like she was getting in her way.

"Oh no you don't want to sit with her. Let her go sit witth her people and you come sit with yours," She said and ran a long nail along his arm.

"Her people?"

"Yes. Those losers," Drew replied with a nasty smile and then waved dismissively at the couple kids that sat at the table with Annabeth.

"And so what? My people are you guys?" He asked curiously.

"Yes," Annabeth just kind of stood there waiting for Drew to finish explaining things and Percy to head off in the opposite direction.

"No," He corrected Drew with a smile. "I don't have a people. I hang out with whoever I want. And that does not include you,' He continued loudly and cheerfully then walked over, took annabeth's arm, and walked with her to the table, her friends all gaped at her… well… most of them did. Rachel and Nico appeared to be to busy ogling at Percy. Percy slid into the seat next to her then smiled up at the other people at the table. "Hey. I'm Percy,'


	9. Percy- the walking disaster (with kids)

Nico said 'Yeah we know," Thalia simply rolled her eyes.

Percy blinks as if he had no clue what was going on. There was a short uncomfortable stretch of silence were all everyone did was stare at Percy. He laughed awkwardly and looked around at the occupants of the tables. "So what all of you people do in your free time?" He said to break the silence. No one said anything because no one had anything they wanted to share. Annabeth studied and drew up blueprints online when she wasn't completely engrossed in a book. Nico well… he played mythomagic. None of them thought that the things they did would interest Percy very much so the silence stretched on even longer.

"Alllright i guess i'll be going first then. Normally i spend a lot of time swimming but tonight I get to spend most of the day with the nicest most adorable girl on the planet" This, of course, got most of the tables attention.

"You have a girlfriend?" Nico asked sounding very disappointed. Then flushed red. Annabeth already had guessed he had a girlfriend after she had seen him with that redhead in the restuarant so although she did feel a pang of disappointment she wasn't nearyl as shocked as Nico. Nico's face fell but it's not like this would be enough to stop him from crushing on Percy.

Percy laughed loudly and shook his head no. Then stopped. 'No.. well… kind of but that's not who i was talking about,"

'You're cheating on your girlfriend then? Or you like someone else?" Annabeth asked and at the same time Nico said rather hopefully, "Kind of?"

"Actually I was talking about this sweet girl i babysit so.." He said to them. "But since you all seem so interested in my relationship status I am single. But me and Rachel are kind of… on and off… so who know's how long i'll stay that way,"

"I'm not interested in your relationship status," Thalia jumped in glaring at him, announcing to everyone that she was still there.

"Well obviously i was not talking to you Pinecone-Face," He snapped back.

"Alright Fish-Breath well then don't say all of us. I would be included in that,"

Percy rolled his eyes at her. "Shut it Sparky! You know what I meant!"

Annabeth and Nico had just been following the conversation like an intense tennis match with more than a hint of confusion. "Wait.. do you guys know each other?" Annabeth asked finally. No one called Thalia Sparky and lived except her best friends.

"Oh yeah. This idiot's dad is a real close… friend… of my dad's. So we've known each other for awhile now." Thalia told the rest of the table.

"Well ok. Nice to know. Would have loved if you had told me this sooner," Nico mutters quitely.

Annabeth decided to turn the conversation back to something else. "What parent would be brave… or stupid.., enough to leave someone like you in charge of their children?" she asked with an unusual but clear teasing tone in her voice.

Percy turns to her faking a look of hurt rather well. "I'll have you know that I am great with children! They love me!"

"Oh Yeah?" She asked clearly doubtful.

"Yeah!" He cries indignantly. "We never get in to trouble… well… Except for that one time we blew up that cake… and the time I lost her at the fair… Oh and then there was that time we popped the bouncy house. There was also the time we accidentally lit the kitchen on fire… and the time we flooded the basement… and, of course, that one time i fell asleep and she tried painting a horse on the wall! That was great. BUT! Other than that we haven't caused trouble,"

They all stare at him rather horrified. Thalia does not seem surprised in the least though. "AND THEY STILL LET YOU BABYSIT HER?" Annabeth said incredulously.

"Yeah of course they do. It's not that bad,"

"NOT THAT BAD?! You lit the kitchen on fire!"

He winces. "Only a little bit! Also they don't actually kn ow about most of it. We fix everything up before she gets home. Except the kitchen. There was no cleaning that up." Percy tells her defensively.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. Of course he got away with all that. "And what about the kid? She never once told her parents about all the stuff you guys did?"

"No. she knows if she did i probably would not be allowed to come back. She loves me. She wouldn't want to have to get use to anyone else,"

Annabeth rolls her eyes. "Remind me to never let you near any of my children if i ever have any,"

"Well then maybe you should come over with me next time and see how good I am with kids. You won't be saying that after,"

"Maybe I will!"

Percy smiled brightly at her. "Great! See you saturday then!" He announces as the bell rings signalling the end of lunch. He hands her a slip of paper and told her, "You can meet me there at four," Then, giving her a quick wink, he walked away. Annabeth sat there stunned. She hadn't thought he was being serious and the wink was certainly a curve ball.


	10. At the house

Annabeth was here in front of a small white house where the paper had told her to go two days later on a saturday evening. Percy… was not. She decided after a while of waiting to go up and knock on the door and see if maybe he had arrived early and was already inside.

"Hey Percy sent me and.." she started to say but trailed off as the woman who had opened the door reached out to her and pulled her inside impatiently before she could finish speaking.

"Great! Cause I had to reschedule an important appointment so I really have to go. I was starting to get worried since he is usually here on time and this is not the sort of client I want to leave waiting. Are you filling in for Percy today or is he just going to be a little late? Hazel will be so sad if he just can't make it today. She really looks forward to seeing him. Sorry to rush out on you like this but i really have to go. I'm sure Percy has told you all about how best to take care of my precious little gem right? Right. Alright good. Now I really must be going," The woman (Hazel's mother?) said talking way to quickly for annabeth to actually process all that she was saying. Annabeth is fairly sure she didn't take a single breath during that whole little monologue there so her lung capacity is really rather impressive. Then the mother rushes out the door before she had time to respond to any part of that. Annabeth hears a car door slam then the screeching of tires as the mother rushes off into the… well not into the night. Into the evening? Afternoon?

Annabeth stood in the doorway for an unusually long period of time before making her way into the house. Noting the rather bland, but good quality and expensive as well, furniture and all of the tasteful and just as expensive artwork on the walls. Tacked to the fridge is a whole bunch of crayon drawings. Everything in the house is clean and everything in the house seems to be some nice quality as well. It's clear they have a bit of money so she wonders why they live in such a small house in a subpar neighborhood.. She spent a while exploring the house and had just about decided that Percy was not in fact going to show up, that he had decided to jump this job off on her today, when her phone rang with an unknown number listed on the caller ID.

"Heyyyy Annabeth," Percy's voice rings through the speakers. "I'm so so sorry,' This is starting to sound like she guessed right. As usual. "I'll be there in about ten minutes. I thought Hazel was supposed to be with her dad this weekend but apparently I got my date's mixed up. That's next weekend. Got some pretty weird looks when I walked in on them. Also, new and interesting information, your friend? Nico? He's Hazel's step-brother. Anyway. Yeah. I'm on my way,``he says in a rush. There is a loud sound of a horn and he curses loudly into the mike.

"Yeah alright that's fi… wait?! How did you get this number?" Annabeth could not remember giving Percy her number. They were still pretty much strangers, why would she?

"I had to get it from Thal's. I should have asked for it earlier but," and here his tone changes from an at least semi-serious one to something halfway between flirty and teasing, "Usually girls just give me their numbers or ask for mine. You must be shy so now all you have to do is save it,"

"Well you'll be surprised to find out I'm not actually interested in your phone number and will not be saving it. Just hurry up and get here," Then Annabeth hung up… and added percy to her contacts.


End file.
